FN Magazine - Highschool Athletes

BRINGING THEIR

“ ”

A GAME

LOCAL SCHOLAR ATHLETES RULE THE COURT & THE CLASSROOM

GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME

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SIMPLE MENTAL TRICKS

AVOID DINING OUT

DISASTERS

WILL SWFL EVER BE SAFE FOR CYCLING?

FIVE LOCAL ATHLETES SHOW YOU HOW

THINK OUTSIDE THE LUNCHBOX EASY, HEALTHY RECIPES YOUR KID WILL ACTUALLY EAT

WORKOUT LIKE A HERO. STAY INJURY FREE.

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014 FITNATIONMAG.COM

TONS MORE TIPS

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September/October 2014 | 3

CONTENTS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

18

features

RACE TO THE TOP

18 RACE TO THE TOP

As school begins again, these high school athletes are looking forward to outstanding upcoming seasons.

POLE VAULTER DREW MCMICHAEL IS JUST ONE OF SEVEN AMAZING HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES TO WATCH THIS YEAR.

26 HEAD GAMES

Physical training isn’t enough if you want to perform at your very best. For that, you’ll need to train your mind too.

30 KILLER ON THE ROAD

Several high-profile accidents have tensions between cyclists and motorists running high.

Can anything ease the situation?

regulars 8 GEAR - What’s In Her Gym Bag?

BMX superstar Michelle Huey shows us her race day gear.

10 GEAR - Fit Tech

The most innovative new gadgets and gizmos, all in one place.

12 FUEL - Try This

Got the lunchbox blues? Get some healthy, new ideas with these easy lunchtime recipes.

14 FUEL - Dine Smart

Navigating date night dining when you’re on a race-weight diet can be tricky. Here’s how local athletes cope.

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36 TRAIN - Monthly Workout

A local CrossFit athlete designs a special Hero WOD perfect for honoring the lives lost on 9/11.

40 Fitbook

Photos from Southwest Florida’s best races and events.

42 Calendar

Races, rides and more upcoming events.

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ON THE COVER Local high school athlete Santiago Corredor is lighting up the pool with his fearless freestyle.

Photography by Samantha Duffy

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September/October 2014 | 5

YOUNG LOVE

W

orking on this issue, I found myself thinking, I wish I’d been more involved in high school sports. In my years at T.C. Williams High School (go Titans!)

I was involved in many activities: music, drama, student government. But it wasn’t until later in life that I discovered the joy of athletics.

This is probably due to the fact that I’m terribly uncoordinated. From the age of about six, when the umpteenth soccer ball whizzed right by me and into the goal, I just assumed I wasn’t cut out for sports. So I never really thought to get involved. Looking back, I really missed out.

Athletics are so important for kids. Not only do they help get our increasingly sedentary youngsters up and off the couch, but they also build skills like teamwork, time management and good sportsmanship.

Plus, they’re fun.

Of course, sports aren’t everything. When we were putting together this issue, our goal was to find outstanding athletes who also excelled in the classroom and in their communities. Some of these students were chosen for being at the absolute top of their games, and others were chosen because they’re outstanding citizens and athletes.

The one thing all of these kids have in common, though, is commitment. Each one balances all kinds of obligations—and yet they show up at practices and meets week after week in the constant pursuit of self-improvement. That’s something all athletes—regardless of age—can relate to.

We hope you enjoy reading about these rising stars, and we hope their hard work inspires you to get out and put in some hard work of your own—be it out on the roads, in the gym or on the courts. We’ll be out there too—although you’ll never find me on the soccer field.

‘Till next issue,

FIT NATION / SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

FIT NATION / SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

PUBLISHER/CEO Stan Dougé

PRODUCTION

FN Media Group

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Alfredo Escobar

MANAGING EDITOR A.C. Shilton

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Victoria Wiseman

ONLINE CONTENT MANAGER Dana Leigh Smith

EVENTS

Chelsea Garlock

ADVERTISING SALES

Laura DalSanto, Brett Richard (239) 330-3922 ads@fitnationmag.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jodi Bellefeuille, Matt Reedy, Andrew Wiseman, Jill Wheeler, Rebecca Youngblood

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Samantha Duffy, Erik Kellar, Kelli Krebs, Andrew Wiseman

MARKETING

Zannon Garza AC Shilton

INTERNS

Katie Westbrook, Misa Cooper

CONNNECT

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MICHELLE HUEY GEAR

BMX superstar Michelle Huey spills on her must-have gear. by Rebecca Youngblood It’s not all work and no play, though. One of the things Huey loves most about BMX is the close friendships and support she gets from the sport.

She has many BMX friends both across the state and the country. While she loves her friends, she loves beating them even more. “You can be friends off the track, but not on the track,” she says.

WHAT’S IN HER GYM BAG?

Here’s the gear that Huey never hits the track without:

1 2014 GHP POLISHED 20” BIKE FRAME

“My bike is lightweight, strong, looks good, and handles very well. The GHP far exceeded my expectations and is one of the best rides I have ever had. A special thanks to Greg Hill [producer of the GHP bike line] for the continued support throughout the season.”

2 FUEL SOCKS

“With high quality comfort and rockin’ style, they keep my feet race-ready.”

3 TROY LEE DESIGNS HELMET

“Safety is always key during any sport. My TLD helmet keeps my brain safe.”

4 EKS BRAND GOGGLES

“EKS brand keeps my vision clear and race ready.”

5 STYLISH DUDS FROM DAN’S COMP

“Dan’s Comp [a website that sells BMX-inspired clothes and gear] continues to keep my racing style fresh and safe.”

6 BEATS BY DRE P: ERIK KELLAR (2)

“Before any race, I warm up jamming to my music to get focused.”

I

t’s hard to believe that Cape Coral BMX racer Michelle Huey is only 18. When she talks about BMX, her intentions of turning pro and her dream of competing in Rio in 2016, she speaks with the wisdom of a much older athlete.

But she’s barely an adult—and, even more impressively—she’s only been involved with the sport for six years. While waiting on her brother at a skate park one day, she just hopped on a bike and started riding. Since then, Michelle’s

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addiction and constant dedication to the sport has never wavered—she even started homeschooling so that she could devote more time to training.

“After all the work you’ve done and dedications you’ve made, when you’ve crossed the finish line, it’s the best feeling in the world,” she says, justifying all her sacrifices. “In BMX, you are 100 percent in control of your race. No one else. You do it for yourself—it’s just cool,” she adds.

September/October 2014 | 9

GEEK OUT! GEAR

FIT TECH

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Our go-to list for the best fitness gadgets. by Jodi Bellefeuille

1 THE TORCH T1 BIKE HELMET $140

4 MISFIT SHINE $99.99

The Torch T1 bike helmet has 10 integrated LED lights on both the front and the back of the helmet, making it ideal for nighttime neighborhood cruising. You’ll still need a bike light—which is required by Florida law—but this helmet with give you added visibility, and what cyclist doesn’t want that? It comes with a rechargeable battery and the lights are covered by shatterproof polycarbonate lenses, so it’s safe to use in the rain.

By far the world’s sleekest activity tracker, the Misfit Shine measures your activity all day long—at work, at the gym or even while you’re swimming. To see how close you are to hitting your movement goals for the day, simply tap the face of the device—which will light up and show you exactly how far you still have to go. It comes in a whole host of trendy colors—from sea glass to wine and coral—and there are even accessories to turn the device into a fashionforward pendant or a bold tie clip.

torchapparel.com

2 STAYSAFE PERSONAL GPS TRACKER $6.99 staysafeapp.com

misfit.com

5 ADIDAS CLIMACHILL TEE $45.00 adidas.com

Long gone are the days of calling or even texting a loved one to let them know you have arrived home in one piece. The StaySafe iPhone and Android-compatible app will automatically notify a selected emergency contact if you do not check in to your final destination. An email or text will be sent to the contact with your exact GPS coordinates, making it easy to locate your whereabouts. This app even functions if your phone is off or runs out of battery power.

(Just make sure that if you and your emergency contact call it quits you take him or her off the app!)

3 GARMIN VECTOR PEDALS $1699 garmin.com

In the old days, children, if we wanted to measure power as we rode our bikes, we had to do it with either a special hub on our wheel or with a tap built into our crankset. That meant you basically had to buy an expensive powermeter for each bike you owned—and most of us own at least a few. This year, however, Garmin released the first pedal-based power-meter.

Metrics are captured throughout the entire pedal stroke measuring both overall power and balance between right and left legs. Pedals are compatible with Look Koe-style cleats and you can access all of your data through Garmin Connect, although that means you’ll need a Garmin-compatible GPS device for recording data.

When you’re hot and working out, any little bit of relief helps. Now, your shirt can help you cool down using little metallic orbs. Just released this summer, CLIMACHILL is a fabric woven with titanium and flecked with aluminum dots. Adidas says the metal bits conduct heat away from the body and provide an instant cooling effect. Adidas has released a whole line of CLIMACHILL products, including shorts, tops and shoes for both men and women.

6 HYDRAPAK STASH BOTTLE $17.99 hydrapak.com

Collapsible water bottles seem like a great idea until you spill an entire 32- ounce bottle on your laptop because the bottom is, well, collapsible.

The Hydrapak is a genius little hack on that problem. The top and bottom are made of hard plastic that snaps together when empty and provides structure when it’s full. And at the price point, it’s worth having an extra one in the car or your gym bag for when you forget your water bottle—again.

September/October 2014 | 11

TRY THI

LUNCH BOX REDUX

Get an A+ in packing tasty, healthy lunches this year. by Victoria Wiseman

FUEL

T

he sack lunch has long been synonymous with boring food or unnaturally colored cheese. But it need not be this way.

This year we’re reinventing the lunchbox. In the process we’re kicking out the junk food and upping both the flavor and the nutrition.

Whether you’ve got an adventurous eater or someone who prefers to stay close to the sandwich/chips/cookie paradigm, we’ve got something for your kiddo (or you!).

CUBANO ROLL-UPS Makes 2 A meat roll-up is, at best, a boring substitute for a sandwich—never as satisfying as its carb-centric cousin. But with a few extra steps and seasonings like mustard and crispy bacon, we’ve transformed the roll-up into something special. (And don’t worry, even after a few hours, that bacon tastes amazing, even if it’s not at peak crispness.)

2 slices deli ham 2 slices deli chicken 1 slice thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled ¼ cup cream cheese 1 kosher dill pickle, chopped (or dill relish, drained, to taste) 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard 1 teaspoon dijon mustard Chives, left whole for tying sliced meat At the grocery store, ask for your deli meat sliced slightly thicker than normal so it holds together. Lay a slice of chicken on top of the ham. Combine the cream cheese, chopped

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P: ANDREW WISEMAN

TRY THIS

pickle and two mustards. Scoop the mixture onto the meats, burrito-style so the roll has a nice thick filling. Sprinkle bacon liberally on top of the cream cheese mixture and roll. Tie rolls together with a chive or spear with a toothpick.

PARMESAN CHIPS Makes 6 to 8 chips Making Parmesan crisps is the easiest fancy thing ever. Adding a hint of dried mustard gives the chip a more complex taste, and mustarddeniers out there, fear not—it doesn’t even read as mustard on your palate. ½ cup Parmesan cheese (I used pre-shredded to save my fingers) 1 teaspoon dry mustard Preheat oven to 350. On a lined baking sheet (parchment paper works best) arrange heaping teaspoons of the mixture a few inches apart. Cook for six minutes, checking often.

When they’re done, the top will be completely browned. For a thinner, drier chip, spread the cheese a bit thinner and leave in the oven a bit longer, although you may have to reduce the temp a bit.

GLUTEN-FREE BLACK & WHITE COOKIES Makes a dozen A cookie shouldn’t be TOO virtuous. Our version still has sugar and chocolate, but the addition of almond flour gives these cookies a stick-toyour-ribs protein base. We also think the cookie is moister and yummier than your standard flour cookie.

2.5 cups blanched almond flour* ½ cup sugar, or you can use an equal amount of agave ½ teaspoon sea salt ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ cup white chocolate chips, divided ½ cup coconut oil ¼ cup Nutella 1 egg Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine dry ingredients, using only half the white chocolate chips. Cream egg with coconut oil then stir in the hazelnut spread. Mix wet into dry ingredients.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or spray with oil. Roll dough by the heaping tablespoon into balls and lightly press to flatten on top—they’ll spread on the pan but not as much as a flour cookie. Press remaining white chocolate chips onto the tops of the cookies.

Bake for 7-10 minutes. Allow to cool five minutes, then move to a rack. *It’s important to find blanched almond flour, not almond meal. Almond meal will retain more water resulting in a much denser cookie. It will also have flecks of brown from the almond hulls and a slightly coarser texture.

For this and an entire other lunch box redux recipe visit us online at www.fitnationmag.com.

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FIT NATION / SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

September/October 2014 | 13

DINE SMAR FUEL

DATE NIGHT DILEMMAS It may be time to start seeing other restaurants. by Anne Reed

A July 2013 study published in The Journal of Internal Medicine found that, on average, meals from 19 sit-down restaurant chains served up a whopping 1,128 calories. They also included 151 percent of the recommended daily sodium intake, and 89 percent of the daily fat value (with 83 percent of that fat being of the saturated and trans fat variety). The study didn’t include the addition of appetizers, drinks, condiments, or dessert, so if you normally have a glass of wine and want to split a starter, you can be sure you’re way over your daily dose of naughty before you even get to that goodnight kiss.

While this news alone makes it tempting to ditch date night, know this: Being an athlete doesn’t mean being a complete bore. We asked local fitness buffs about how they balance a good time with good, performance-friendly food.

Here are their best tips.

AUBREY ALDY

MARCUS WATTS

A

s much as we love date night, nothing kills the mood like your honey whispering the words “MSG” and “1,300 calories in one portion” in your ear.

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MAURA GRANGER

DINE SMART

THE PALEO BELLY DANCER

THE VEGAN PRO

Carrie Robinson, age 57. “I’m not a typical 57 year old…I’m going to do as much as I can to stay fit so I can stay this way. My husband and I are on a quest to be the most fit we have ever been.”

Aubrey Aldy, age 33

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Married

Professional triathlete, triathlon coach, and Army veteran (Combat Medic).

ATHLETIC BACKGROUND:

NUTRITION PHILOSOPHY:

Belly dancer and teacher of water aerobics.

During season she also teaches a walking class at the Naples Botanical Gardens.

Paleo. “Because we work a lot, we hired Chris Deluca of Declua’s Eatery Healthy Meal Plan Delivery. Every Monday he delivers meals, and they are Paleo.”

Vegan. “No meat, no dairy, no added oils.

Occasionally I have a bit of cheese or something,” explained Aldy, whose wife originally introduced vegan nutrition to their household. Aldy is all plant-based, but he does eat a lot of carbs. “I’d say I go through five loaves of bread per week.” Favorite bread?

Whole Food’s loaves. Aldy also eats lots of pasta, rice and potatoes.

FAVORITE SPOTS:

FAVORITE SPOTS:

The Riverwalk in Naples, where the couple split a pound of shrimp. They also likes Cosmos in Naples, “But we don’t get pizza. They have a great salad with grilled chicken.” For special occasions, they enjoy going to Chops in Bonita Springs, where Robinson often gets the salmon, which is blackened on a cedar plank and served with a miso-butter sauce, a cauliflower mash, and sautéed fresh spinach.

The couple really likes Loving Hut in Naples for both dine-in and take-out. “There have been times when I’ll get there after training and I’ll be so hungry that we order two or three entrees,” he admits. Aldy also raved about the Three Amigos Tacos from the Cider Press Café, which feature walnut picadillo tacos, guacamole, pico de gallo, and an amazing poblano macadamia cream.

WHO:

NUTRITION PHILOSOPHY:

WHO:

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Married eight years, parent of two dogs.

ATHLETIC BACKGROUND:

THE NO-LABEL NEW MOM

THE PALEO CROSSFIT BOX OWNER

THE UNPROCESSED FAMILY

Laura Veilleux, age 26.

Marcus Watts, age 30

Maura Granger, age 43.

RELATIONSHIP STATUS:

RELATIONSHIP STATUS:

RELATIONSHIP STATUS:

Married, with a three-month-old baby.

In a Relationship.

ATHLETIC BACKGROUND:

ATHLETIC BACKGROUND:

lives with partner Eric Rickis and their blended family of six kids, four of which are currently living at home.

Runner who describes herself as a little competitive. Her husband Nate is also a runner and triathlete, and both are members of the Speedsters in Fort Myers. (You might also recognize Laura and Nate from their appearance in last year’s Power Couple issue.)

Owner of CrossFit Lawless where he’s also the head coach. Played professional basketball overseas and collegiate basketball.

WHO:

NUTRITION PHILOSOPHY: “We don’t have any sort of label,” says Veilleux, adding that her family’s focus is on eating whole foods and things that are not processed.

FAVORITE SPOTS: Pizza Fusion in Fort Myers, where the duo make up their own pizza by ordering the spinach and artichoke pie—which features sautéed spinach, big chunks of roasted artichoke hearts, roasted garlic and tangy tomato sauce—and then adding extra vegetables. At Mad Fresh Bistro in Fort Myers, the couple enjoy the flatbreads; Nate especially likes the Parisian, a stone-fired flatbread topped with grilled steak. When they want to dress up and get a bit fancier, they head to Naples and Seasons 52. “It’s a bit harder for us to get to, but [is] one of our favorite spots.”

WHO:

NUTRITION PHILOSOPHY: Strictly Paleo for the last three years. “I enjoy eating clean,” he says, but recently he’s been adding in organic rice and potatoes to his diet because he has a hard time keeping weight on.

FAVORITE RESTAURANTS: Bar Louie in the Gulf Coast Town Center, because “they have high quality burgers.” For lunch, he likes Rusty’s Raw Bar and Grill in Estero for its really good coffee, and orders a freshly grilled burger with no bun, no cheese, but adds salty bacon and tangy mustard.

Instead of fries, he opts for vegetables on the side.

WHO:

ATHLETIC BACKGROUND: Triathlete, two-time Ironman and running club coach. Eric is training for his first half Ironman.

Nutrition Philosophy: “We don’t follow a certain plan. We try to do about 80-90 percent not processed foods. Fresh fruits and vegetables rather than everything coming from a box,” says Granger. The couple cooks a lot and avoids fast food.

FAVORITE RESTAURANTS: Caffe Toscano in Ft. Myers, where “everything is always fresh and quality food.” They also like Nevermind in Cape Coral where Granger especially enjoys the Colorado Lamb Burger with homemade ketchup, and the roasted Brussels sprouts, which is called “Awesome Greens and Brussels on the Griddle.” They enjoy Yabo in Ft. Myers for the live music. “We go there for the atmosphere, and sometimes we just sit at the bar and have a drink.”

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September/October 2014 | 15

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT FOR THESE OUTSTANDING LOCAL ATHLETES

BY A.C. SHILTON

RACE TO THE

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TOP

I

t’s dark and humid as a small group gathers on the track. Even though it’s not yet 7 a.m., it’s already almost 90 degrees. Still, no one complains.

The teens set down their water bottles and begin a slow trot around the oval. Their black-on-black-sky silhouettes are just barely visible as they trace their way towards the backstretch. Once their muscles are warm, the pace picks up. The coach releases them for a set of 800s and the pack takes off—these future track stars are free to fly.

When practice is over the kids will shuffle off to summer jobs or volunteer work or classes at the local community college. For most scholar athletes, summer days aren’t carefree. Instead summertime is a time for getting ahead: in sports, in school, and in saving for college. And when school starts up again this fall, it will be back to all business, all the time.

That’s why we dedicated this whole issue of FitNation to the studentathlete. None of these kids on the track is running because it will look good on a college application. No one—we repeat—no one runs 800-meter repeats in August in Florida for a line item on a résumé.

They’re here for the love of the sport and for the love of everything that comes with being on a team. And it inspires us.

Want to know whom you should be watching this year? Here are our picks—not just for their athletic prowess but also for their ability to balance school with sports and life in ways that even we adults could learn from.

Santiago Corredor Age:

15

SCHOOL: Bishop Verot High School SPORTS: Swimming and triathlons

I started swimming when I was two months old, and I started on a team when I was five. Swimming was the first sport I tried because my mom was a swimmer and my dad does triathlons. After about a year of swimming [on a team] I got into triathlons. It was my parents’ idea at first but then I started to really like the sport.

What makes me a good swimmer is the hard work and dedication I put into the pool everyday. I have always been a strong competitor because I always strive to get to the wall or to the finish before the guy in front of me. My greatest strength in the pool is the sprint at the end of the race.

My proudest moment in the pool was when I went from last to first in the 800-meter free at junior nationals in Irvine, California.

September/October 2014 | 19

Emily Buersmeyer Age:

17

SCHOOL: The Community School of Naples SPORTS: Golf and lacrosse

I’ve had plastic golf clubs since I was a year-and-a-half old. I just took to it, even as a kid I loved to practice. When I was about six my parents said, ‘you know, Emily there are tournaments, are you interested in trying that?’ I was like, I could win a trophy?

That sounds awesome!

Golf has always been pretty natural for me. It’s never taken hours and hours for me to perfect. I think that’s part of the reason it’s so fun.

I started lacrosse in the fourth grade. Before that, I’d never played a team sport. I love the girls on the Community School Team, and I especially loved having my sister on the team. We’ve played together since we were born, so it’s like we always know where the other one is on the field.

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Thandiwe Kangwa Age:

17

SCHOOL: Attends Florida Southwestern High School, an accelerated school where kids take classes simultaneously at Florida Southwestern State College. Because her school doesn’t have sports teams she competes for Fort Myers High School.

SPORT: Tennis

I come from a tennis family. My family is from Zambia and my dad and my uncle played there. My dad taught me, he still coaches. I always knew I was going to play, both my older brother and sister played. I started when I was like three years old and I played in my first tournament at eight.

My best shot is probably my forehand, it’s my favorite shot at least. I like competing, that’s my favorite thing about tennis—and traveling. I probably like singles the best because you’re in charge of the whole court, but doubles is really fun too.

I want to work as a healthcare administrator someday. I like helping people and making other people happy. There’s an orphanage where I’m from in Zambia and I’m starting a club to help the children there. We’ll raise money and send them care packages.

I also volunteer at Hope Hospice, the food pantry and the Humane Society.

September/October 2014 | 21

Troy Maksymetz Age:

17

SCHOOL: Gulf Coast High School SPORTS: Cross-country and track

I was in ROTC and we had to run the mile. I was running with a friend and he was like, ‘dude, you did really good, you should come out for cross-country.’ I went in not really knowing what it was but I really like it.

Most people wouldn’t know that there’s a real team aspect to cross-country but there is. At the end of the day you’re running with your teammate, both trying to get the best times you can.

I like track, but I like cross-country more. With track you’re running in circles.

I hope to someday be an officer in the United States Navy.

Running has really taught me discipline, which I think will be useful in the Navy. You can’t lie when you’re running, if you’re not pushing yourself your coach knows—you know.

22 |

Rosie poling Age:

15

SCHOOL: Lely High School SPORTS: Cross-country and Irish dancing

When I was younger, like in fourth grade, I ran in some local races and thought that was fun. My mom is a runner so I’ve always been exposed to it. I think I really like the atmosphere of the races—people are so supportive. Once I got into running cross-country it became a real love of mine.

Irish dancing for me is a lot of fun. It’s definitely great exercise and I’ve made a lot of friends doing it. It’s really hard—it’s both a cardiovascular workout but also takes a lot of skill, it’s like, is your toe pointed the right direction?

I’m not sure if I’ll run in college, I may be more into academics at that point. I really like doing science fair projects, especially about sports medicine. But I’m also really getting into environmental science and botany.

I love doing research.

September/October 2014 | 23

JOHN CARLIN Age:

17

SCHOOL: Fort Myers High School SPORTS: Tennis

I love everything about tennis. I enjoy competing against other players and playing in tournaments. My strengths in tennis include my strong desire to win and never giving up in a match no matter the score.

I have won several matches this year where my opponent had several match points, but I continued to persevere until I won the match.

My serve has become a weapon in the last year.

Being 6'3" has helped me with my serve, and I am continuing to work on it to make it an even bigger weapon.

Tennis has taught me a lot of life lessons. In tennis, you play the match without the benefit of a coach on the court. This is much different than most sports. I have learned to think for myself, be independent and never give up no matter the circumstances. I have learned that it is important to be humble when I win a match and to be a good sport when I lose a match.

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Drew McMichael Age:

18

SCHOOL: Evangelical Christian School SPORT: Pole vault

I started vaulting my freshman year. It was the first year our school had a pole vault pit. I went to practice for the first time and noticed that the vaulters didn’t do much running—so I was all over that. Pole vault is not something that comes easy. This sport requires speed, strength, body awareness, no fear, and mental strength. It took me two years to be an elite vaulter.

I have always been an all-season athlete. Played football, basketball, and track. I have always been a good athlete but never as good as I am at pole vault. As a sophomore, I jumped 15 feet at states and got second. Last year I won the state meet and went undefeated in my high school season.

This year is my last year so I’m training year-round…my high school career goal is to break the Florida record, which is 16'8", and to be the national champion.

I believe my religion and faith play a huge factor in my athletic achievements. My faith in Christ allows me to appreciate the gift that God has blessed me with.

September/October 2014 | 25

26 |

HEAD games

By Victoria Wiseman

H

igh school basketball coach Mitch Woods plucks out a laminated index card from his desk. On one side is a photo of the 2009 Community School of Naples girls’ basketball team. On the other side are a handful of sayings.

Refuse to lose.

Leave nothing.

When we win regionals, the victory will be even sweeter.

A championship team is a team of champions.

He sounds nostalgic as he talks about the team, turning the card over in his hands. “This is the first time I’ve pulled this card out. Every once and a while I’ll look at pictures of the kids because I haven’t seen them in such a [long] time.”

It was a big year for the team. “That was the first time in our school’s history our girls’ basketball had gone to states. The expectation was that we’d not win it that first time. But we challenged our girls to not just be there, that we were going to go to win. It was an exciting time.”

That challenge to win, the words on the card and a handful of other skills were part of a mental training regime Woods and Naples sports psychologist Kathy Feinstein tried with the girls starting in 2008. It was a successful enterprise: Woods credits the mental skills they built that year with winning the state championships in both 2009 and 2011.

The program was born after the team suffered a crushing defeat in the 2008 season. The girls lost a regional match to a team they should have handily beaten—and had already beaten three times that year. “We had managed to let a 15-point lead evaporate in the fourth quarter. Really, the majority of that was a mental breakdown because we were clearly the better team that entire year,” says Woods.

WHAT IS MENTAL TRAINING? Like Olympians, elite athletes and even weekend warriors, Woods discovered that mental training yields consistent positive results. But it’s an underused tool, especially in high schools.

At its core, mental training is a way to approach our sports (and by extension, our lives) by controlling the attitudes we bring to practice and games. With a great mental training regime, we can reach our peak performance and avoid those roadblocks we place for ourselves—things like negative self-talk, psyching yourself out and performance anxiety.

“Olympic athletes see it as part of their training— more than they used to many years ago,” says Karen Cogan, a senior sport psychologist at the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) who’s been working with athletes for 25 years and specializes in gymnastic and combat sports.

that potential to win. The one that has the edge winds up on the podium, so they’re willing to try anything. [Olympic] athletes started talking publicly about using sport psychology and then other athletes followed suit. At the USOC it’s a standard service, they’re introducing it early on. Like seeing a nutritionist or going to sports medicine to do rehab or recovery,” Cogan says.

A 2001 study of Olympic athletes from both the Nagano and Atlanta games researched what athletes, in hindsight, wanted more of to prepare for the Olympics. “The number one thing they wanted was more sports psychology and mental training,” Cogan says.

“People come to see me because there’s some kind of a struggle,” says Kathy Feinstein, that Naplesbased mental health counselor who worked with Woods and his girls' basketball team in 2009.

“Like for instance an athlete [with] performance anxiety—performing one way in practice but they are paralyzed when they get out on the court.”

Whether you’re choking during a b-ball game or you just know you could be racing stronger, here is the experts’ best advice to train your brain alongside your body.

It’s not a surprise that mental training first got traction with Olympians. “When you’re talking about high-level athletes, they all go out with

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But how far do you go? “When you start to get to an emotional response then you know you’re kind of there.” Don’t be surprised if you’re responding to a bullying experience in the first grade as an adult—it’s a powerful tool to want to transform that old feeling.

Next, set your process goals—the “how” of your goal. Maybe it’s adding speed work, increasing workouts, improving nutrition or working on your mental game (more on that later).

And when you’ve hammered out your goal and the steps you’ll take—forget the goal.

“It’s important to set that outcome goal and then let it got a little bit, so you can focus on what you need to do each day to reach that outcome goal,” says Feinstein.

GET AHOLD OF YOUR GOALS Goal setting seems like an easy thing. You want to get a PR. You want to drop 10 pounds. You want to lead your team to win the championship.

Goal set. Right?

Wrong.

What happens to that lofty goal when you face adversity? “The first couple of weeks you’re really gung-ho, the third week you’re really hungry and tired and it’s difficult to maintain the motivation,” says Feinstein. “Just expect it isn’t going to be perfect.”

Rediscovering that initial enthusiasm can be easier by going deeper into why you want to achieve that particular goal. “There’s a lot more depth than you at first think.”

For example, you may want to run your fastest 5-k to date. “At first you want to have that sense of accomplishment,” Feinstein says. The trick is to ask why again. “I want that accomplishment because it’s on my bucket list. It’s on my bucket list because no one in my family has ever done it,” she says.

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BE IN THE MOMENT Meditation and its practical cousin, mindfulness, are making waves all over the place from Oprah to Capitol Hill (where Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan is trying to get the government to bring mindfulness to the masses) to the basketball court where Kobe Bryant has talked about using meditation before big games. Even LeBron James is doing yoga.

Mindfulness and meditation reinforces those process goals you set. “The example I give is when I used to work with the U.S. Ski Team,” says Cogan. “They have gates they go around.

They’d go through the first five gates and then they’d think: “Oh, I’m doing well! I’m going to win this race,” says Cogan.

But focusing on the finish line proved calamitous. “Then, they’d ski off course and miss the next gate and then they’re done,” she says. Instead, she taught the skiers to repeat to themselves: “Next gate, next gate” to keep on course and keep that great initial pace.

Mindfulness and meditation also help combat the discouragement you might feel if you have a long way to go to get to your goal.

of grabbing your coffee and running out— maybe take five minutes and focus on breathing and be in that moment. Stop yourself in the day and say: What am I doing right now and how can I appreciate it in this moment?”

Feinstein advocates we all meditate, but that word can sometimes make people worry, so she doesn’t even call it meditation. “Working with middle school athletes, I talk about focused breathing. The sensation on the coolness on the inhale or the warmth on the exhale or the belly going in and out. Allow their mind to wander and then bring their thought back to the breath.”

When the mind wanders, don’t judge it, she says, just gently come back to the breath. This trains your brain to focus, so when you’re competing and your mind wanders to negative thoughts, you know how to get back to the present moment.

LISTEN TO YOUR THOUGHTS On the topic of the mind wandering—which you may realize happens constantly when you start meditating—it’s important to take note of the places the mind is wandering to, especially while you’re competing or training in your sport.

“Develop an awareness of your self-talk, [like doing] a formal assessment after a performance.

What went well, what were you doing, what did you learn and what do you want to do differently next time. What triggers there were. Develop a pattern so you can develop some sort of plan.”

Let’s say you’ve been working on your mindfulness or meditating, and you realize that, for example, while you’re on a run, you keep telling yourself you’re tired. Or you’re lazy. Or you’re never going to beat your last 5-k time.

It’s not a complicated idea, but as with most mental training, it takes real, concerted effort.

Thinking straight can be really, really hard work.

First, acknowledge the thought, but then change the self-talk, says Feinstein. “Creating a confidence inventory of support of why you can achieve this goal can be really beneficial.” Look at the things you’ve already accomplished in the past—whether it’s losing weight or running a super-fast split or getting up every day at 5 a.m. to train.

“It’s very difficult to be in the moment even for a minute,” says Cogan. “I think people can take mindful breaks throughout the day. So instead

Cogan encourages thought stopping. “Identify the negative thought and then think, ‘stop.’

You can even visualize a red stop sign.” Then

replace it with something from your confidence inventory. “It has to be realistic and reasonable,” she says. “If you say you’re a bad athlete, it’s not just enough to say you’re a good athlete.”

the second group didn’t improve, and the third group—the one who visualized daily—improved 23 percent, almost as much as the group that actually practiced.

“Focus on something that’s going to be in the moment that’s not going to reflect negativity,” she says. Find some words or phrases that encourage you. Tell yourself you’re powerful, that you have a long stride or that you’re weightless—whatever words or phrases resonate for you. And those motivational ideas will change over time.

Feinstein suggests visualizing right before bed.

With her clients, she creates a recording that they can listen to. The important part is to be vivid.

Woods says the team worked together to make all those slogans on the index card for the basketball team—things that meant something to them. And they revisited them over and over again to be able to remember those process goals they needed to work on to win.

“Let’s say you’re running. Imagine what you look like, what you feel like, what you’re smelling. Use all your senses. What it feels like to push through and finishing and what it feels like when you cross that finish line. Your brain doesn’t really know the difference between what’s real and what’s imagined,” says Feinstein.

“It is two people setting goals and being accountable and checking in. You can talk about what got in the way,” she says. Maybe you need to change up your self-talk while you run. Maybe you need your buddy to gently tell you that you’re not following your plan, without judgment.

SEE YOURSELF DOING IT “This is the fun part,” says Feinstein. Some call it visualization, and some call in imagery, but any way you slice it, imagining yourself at your goal is a powerful tool for your brain.

Which is exactly what the team from the Community School did. Each team member worked on their individual mental training, while also holding their teammates accountable for keeping their heads in the game. In the end the edge the girls had may have been in their head—but the two state titles, those were real.

That’s because your brain is wired to believe its self-conjured images. “When you put an image in your brain with what you want, something called the reticular activating system works as a filter. [It] helps you pay attention to all the things that will make that happen,” says Feinstein.

He selected three random groups. The first group practiced free throwing for 20 days. The second group only practiced free throws twice in the 20-day study. The third group practiced only twice in 20 days, but visualized making successful free throw shots for 20 minutes each day for the course of the study.

After establishing a baseline, Feinstein says the study found the first group improved 24 percent,

“People will spend a lot of time practicing the physical part of our sports, but then they don’t focus on the mental. It requires the same effort as our physical training. It takes a lot of energy to just develop an awareness of what we’re doing while we’re training and realize, oh my gosh, I’m beating myself up. And then the energy to recognize it and then the energy to change it. It’s a process,” she says.

And our brain is working against us, because it’s designed to keep the status quo. To take the “shortest cut and be the most energy efficient—to do what it's always done,” she says. So, Feinstein suggests working through your mental training plan with a buddy.

But don’t be surprised when the negativity busts in again. “That’s where really sitting down and setting a meditation practice is important,” Feinstein says, because you can get back to the present moment over and over (and over) again.

And here’s where it gets really interesting.

Visualization can increase your skills without any practicing whatsoever. Feinstein says an Australian psychologist, Alan Richardson, ran a study that measured free-throw ability in basketball.

PUTTING YOUR MIND TO IT It sounds too good to be true—that imagining yourself slim, strong and a champion can just poof you into one. Feinstein cautions that mental training is actually pretty tough work. The good news is, we athletes are used to hard work.

You can also turn regular, everyday workouts into a kind of visualization. Says Cogan: “Make training and competition more similar to each other. Say: I’m pretending I’m in a race, I’m going for time, going to pretend there are competitors around me. I’m going to imagine that and race for a place. Then when it comes to the race itself, then I can say I know what to do with this.” It’s exactly like you’ve been in that race before if you’ve imagined it over and over, and so you can get to that feeling of great performance faster, because your brain remembers it.

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BY A.C. SHILTON

I

t all started innocently enough. Local photographer and cyclist Erik Kellar was riding with his usual Tuesday morning group. He’d pulled off to the side of the road to help a fellow rider with a mechanical issue. As the group pulled away, Kellar (whose photos have appeared many times in this magazine) watched a car come dangerously close the departing group. “I mean, it was just inches,” he says.

Whether you’ve put on a pair of padded shorts in your life or not, advocating for cyclists is important for the health of our community and for our collective bottom line. A study by the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research found that in 2012, cycling tourists brought $377 million to the state of Montana. Now imagine the dollars cycling tourists could bring to Florida, which has a much longer riding season.

Kellar finished helping the other cyclist then started back up again. The group they’d drifted back from had stopped at a light a few blocks up.

So too was the car that had buzzed the group moments before.

Also, consider baby boomers: More and more older Americans—many longtime runners with destroyed knees—are entering the sport.

They’re looking for places to retire—and they want a place that’s bike friendly. It’s hard to imagine why local officials wouldn’t be falling all over themselves to position Southwest Florida as a cycling-friendly space. Maybe they just need a push in the right direction.

As he pulled up to the pack, Kellar saw a cyclist knocking on the window of the SUV, telling the driver that his pass had been too close. Angry words were exchanged.

The light changed. By this time Kellar had caught up to the main group and could see the argument between the driver and the pack of riders escalating. Rather than getting caught up in it, Kellar rode around the group and continued on his way. “This was not my fight,” he says.

But the fight came to Kellar, anyway. The driver sped away from the stoplight, and slammed into Kellar, cracking Kellar’s pelvis and left orbital— the bone that frames his eye socket. The driver also did thousands of dollars worth of damage to the local photographer’s bike.

Kellar is a fixture in our athletic community, an experienced cyclist and just the latest in a string of high-profile accidents. While these accidents have the local media talking, car-against-bike incidents have been happening in Southwest Florida regularly. Way too regularly.

That’s because Florida is one of the most dangerous states for cyclists in the nation.

Between 2008 and 2012, Florida had an average number of 112 cycling fatalities annually. The next closest state, California, had 109 average deaths—and California has three times the cycling population.

And the people getting hit aren’t just of the Lycra-clad variety. “Unfortunately, many of the people who are hit are people who use their bikes to get to work—low income people, and they’re hit, hurt, maimed and not a big deal is made of it,” says Jane Cheffy, the president of Naples Pathways Coalition.

But we at Fit Nation think it’s time to make a big deal about it. Every life counts and every cyclist matters.

Our local leaders seem to have their hearts in the right place. “Actually, the City of Naples is really, really cooperating with us and they really want to help,” Cheffy says. The local counties are in on it too. Both Collier and Lee have applied “3 Feet, It’s The Law” stickers, which remind drivers that you must pass cyclists with at least three feet of space, to county vehicles.

Still, not everyone has gotten the memo that cyclists have a right to the road. A few weeks ago, a Collier County Sheriff’s deputy stopped Bonita Springs resident Ryan Scofield, who commutes to work on his bike. He had been taking up the entire lane in an area of road where there wasn’t a wide enough shoulder to let a car safely pass. The deputy pulled him over, and Scofield, who rides with a GoPro camera, recorded the whole thing.

The officer admonishes Scofield for taking the lane and impeding the flow of traffic. Scofield respectfully disagrees and points out that he’s in what’s called a “substandard lane.” The two go round and round.

There’s been a public debate playing out in the local media about whether or not Scofield was in the right or in the wrong. Fox Four interviewed attorney Ted Zelman, who says that Scofield is in the wrong, due to statute FS 316.2065 (5) (a). This statute says “No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.”

But bicycles aren’t motor vehicles. Furthermore, Florida has a statute that addresses this exact issue, FS316.2065-5 (a). This statute reads, If a cyclist is in a sub-standard lane (one narrow enough that a car cannot safely pass with at least three feet of space) he or she is not required to ride all the way to the right.

The miscommunication between the police, drivers and cyclists is probably the biggest source of angst, says Becky Afonso, interim executive director of the Florida Bicycle Association. “To make things safer for everybody we really just need more education.”

Kellar couldn’t agree more. “I think every new driver should have to pass the pedestrian and cyclist section of the driving test with a perfect score,” he says. “People just don’t know that we’re allowed to be on the roads.”

And as bad as this year has been for cyclingrelated injuries in Southwest Florida, there are some bright spots. Aaron Cohen’s Law, which stiffens penalties for hit-and-run drivers, was recently passed. Named for a Miami triathlete killed on an early morning training ride, the law removes the incentive for a drunk driver to leave the scene to sober up in hopes of a lighter sentence. Additionally, in 2013 Florida finally made texting while driving a citable offense—although it’s only a secondary offense, meaning an officer must have another reason to pull you over. “That’s another area we’d like to keep working on,” says Afonso.

Also, most cyclists and cycling advocates hope to see stronger penalties for hitting cyclists. In July, four cyclists were hit by an 84-year-old driver during a regular Saturday morning group ride.

One of them was taken to the hospital in critical condition. The driver, meanwhile, walked away with a ticket for careless driving and a ticket for an expired tag. And when a truck driver for Oakes Farms struck and killed Robin Wallace, of Naples, in 2013, that driver also walked away without any serious charges.

Clearly something needs to be done, but Afonso says it’s not trading in your bike for something safer. “Every day hundreds of miles are ridden without incident,” she says. “People can do this every day.”

Which is true, but it doesn’t mean it’s time to give up the fight. Far from it, in fact. While awful, these recent incidents have brought the issue of cycling safety to the forefront of our community.

There's momentum building and anyone who has ridden a bike knows that momentum on a bike is what keeps you upright and gets you to your final destination. It's time to shift into a bigger gear and use this momentum to get to a better place.

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WELL MIND, WELL BODY Therapist and Life Coach Jill Wheeler answers your hardest brain-based questions. by Jill Wheeler Q: My son tends to get really interested in a sport but then, a few months later (after I’ve bought all the equipment, of course) he loses interest. Should I push him to stick with it or just let it go?

it and that relationship has changed? Or is he realizing he’s just not going to be great at it and is intimidated, embarrassed or discouraged?

Because there are many considerations, it’s important to ask some open-ended questions to determine what’s really going on.

A: Many of us come to the parenting table with our own ideas of how we will absolutely not make the same mistakes our parents made.

Essentially, we parent how we would have wanted to be parented as children.

Some good questions to ask: Has anything happened that makes you not want to play? How are you getting along with your teammates? What is the worst part of playing this sport? What do you like the most? How would you feel about yourself if you gave up now? How would it hurt (or bother) you if you continue or, alternatively quit?

It’s important for us to be aware of whose dreams and expectations we are living when we make the decision of how to handle our children’s choices to quit.

I will make a few points that speak generally to the learning opportunities in either staying with the sport or abandoning it. Each child is unique, so tailor your approach accordingly.

My first question is simple: What does your child really want? Is this a sport he or she chose or is this something you encouraged strongly or insisted upon? Was he only interested in the sport because his best buddy was doing

Allowing your son or daughter the opportunity to speak their mind builds trust and self esteem. Even if you disagree with what they are saying (or don’t necessarily believe it), give them the space to be heard.

There is value in allowing a child self-directed choice. We must teach them to listen to themselves and follow their intuition and heart’s desire. But, we must also teach them about character-building tenacity, the quality of stick-to-it-ness. While we want our children to be self-directed, we also want them to learn to persevere even after the initial excitement or

interest wears off or after they have lost a few times. It’s a balance.

Let’s face it, spending a lot of money and wasting resources can be stressful for any family no matter your income bracket. If you do not feel comfortable forcing your child to continue or you have not successfully persuaded them to stick it through, you can require them to earn the money to pay you back with chores or a job. You may also consider selling the equipment on eBay, Craig’s List or a local consignment shop.

In addition to repayment you may require them to pick a replacement activity of which you mutually agree.

As the parent, you set the tone for what you expect from your sons and daughters. It is natural for children to explore their strengths and interests. Assure them that you love them whether they are the best or the worst on the team. Having your vote of confidence will go a long way as they negotiate the twists and turns and highs and lows of life’s journey. Remember you either win or you learn. There is no losing.

RACING BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL Lessons learned through high school athletics. by Matt Reedy This time of year, as fall arrives and the youth begin the trek back to school, I always take a moment to reflect on how high school athletics shaped me into the person I am today.

In the midst of high school drama, running provided a unique opportunity to both escape and create the social norm for myself. I was both running away from the pressures of social acceptance and running towards my own identity.

Back in the late 80s, when I was just entering high school, I was both as confident and as lost as most students are today. On the one hand, I had that invincibility that occurs only in youth. And on the other hand I had no real life knowledge to direct my actions.

It was in this crucial moment that I was given the gift of high school athletics. To this day I continue to unwrap this gift.

Running, as a high school sport, is unique.

You’re on a team, but aside from relays, your performance and outcome are decided by your individual effort. My team didn’t have to win the event for me to win and likewise, I didn’t have to win the race for my team to win the event. All I had to do was my best! That knowledge was the singular most important thing I learned in high school: That my personal best was all I could ever be expected to do.

Like most awkward teens, I kept molding my personality to fit in. I tried being the good student, the jokester, the outcast. I just wanted to be accepted even though I had no idea who I was. But it was running that held the key to figuring out my identity.

Those high school days have passed, but the lessons learned through running still apply.

Now in my early 40s, I still look back and hear my coach’s voice: “Let’s go Reedy! Time to go to work, now catch that guy!” My coach always believed in me, he always pushed me to go further and he taught me that there is no failure

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in trying. Sure, we didn’t win them all, I couldn’t always “catch that guy,” but that’s life. There’s always another race, there’s always someone else to chase, someone to catch.

Practice continues today with the same struggles and workouts I experienced back in high school. But instead of struggling with interval training, I now find myself pushing through the issues that come with being a grown up. I still hear my coach’s words when things get tough: “If it was easy, anyone could do it; suck it up Reedy!”

To those starting their high school careers I can only hope you find the support and guidance you deserve, and that you find that support while on a team. Be it track, chess, band, football, drama, whatever. I hope you choose to practice, do work, push limits, and most importantly, be a part of something bigger than yourself. The lessoned I learned 25 fall semesters ago have stuck with me all this time—as I know they will for you.

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A WORKOUT TO REMEMBER: TRAIN

THE SEPTEMBER 11 WOD Pay tribute to fallen heroes with this super-hard, superhero workout. byVictoria Wiseman, with James Meers

MONTHLY WORKOUT

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P: KELLI KREBS (10)

ero WODs (workouts of the day) are a cornerstone of CrossFit. Named for members of the military and first responders who died in the line of duty, they are meant to be tough, reflecting the sacrifice these people made for our country.

Retired New York Police Department (NYPD) officer and CrossFit Cape Coral coach James Meers loved the Hero WODs, but noticed something strange: There were no workouts for those who died on 9/11.

So in 2012, Meers submitted to CrossFit headquarters a WOD he named “Heroes of 9/11: Gone But Not Forgotten.” It wasn’t accepted, because all hero WODs are named after a person who was a known CrossFitter. In 2001, CrossFit was in its infancy and according to CrossFit headquarters, none of those who perished on 9-11 were CrossFit athletes.

Luckily that rule doesn’t apply for workouts featured in FitNation.

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This year, Meers will revive this workout by leading it at CrossFit Cape Coral on Saturday, Sept. 13.

“It’s named for an event which is the reason that we have these hero WODs,” says Meers. “I was in the NYPD on Sept. 11—I was a patrol sergeant in Brooklyn.” Meers helped guard the Brooklyn Bridge and also was dispatched many times to Manhattan to keep people out of Ground Zero.

By any standards, this is a tough workout.

Meers suggests doing it on an unhurried Saturday or breaking it down and doing it as a team. “Its about the effort. Because everyone on September 11 was working as a team,” he says.

For the experienced Crossfitter, Meers says it’s roughly equivalent to the Murph. “It might look harder on paper, but it isn’t.”

FOR TIME RUN TWO MILES Stephen Siller was a New York firefighter just getting off duty when the first plane hit the Twin Towers. Unable to drive into Manhattan, he put on all of his firefighting gear and ran the two miles from Brooklyn to Ground Zero where he died in the rescue effort.

23 STRICT PULL-UPS The reps are to honor the 23 NYPD officers who died on Sept. 11. Strict means no kipping—or swinging—to reach the bar. Scale using bands or an assisted pull-up machine as necessary.

Though usually CrossFit favors kipping pull-ups, Meers says he chose strict because that is the way NYPD officers are tested.

37 PUSH PRESSES, USING A 110-POUND BAR Thirty-seven New York Port Authority police officers died that day too. “[Those officers] had the weight of the tower on the shoulders,” says Meers. The push press is an overhead press. Start with the bar at your shoulders. Dip at the knees and then extend knees and hips as you press the weight up. Use your hips to propel the weight overhead. Scale the weight down as needed.

1 BODY WEIGHT DEADLIFT

343 AIR SQUATS There were 343 New York Firegihters who died that day, dwarfing the sacrifice of any other emergency service. The air squat represents the stairs they had to climb in an attempt to rescue those trapped inside. “One firefighter made it to the 80th floor with his gear on before the tower came down.” An average firefighter’s gear weighs between 45 and 65 pounds.

One Port Authority canine, Sirus, died that day. “If a dog is going to rescue a person, it’s going to save you by dragging your body weight,” says Meers. Load a bar with your body weight, making sure to position the bar over your shoelaces. Squat down, hands on the bar outside your knees. Your hips should be slightly higher than your knees, and your upper back should be tight with a strong arch in your lower back. Stand by pushing through the heels—hips and shoulders should come up at the same time.

WORKOUT TO GO Print this and other gym-ready, step-by-step workouts online at fitnationmag.com.

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SAMANTHA DUFFY (10)

FITBOOK

FITBOOK

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fitnationmag.com

FITBOOK SAMANTHA DUFFY (6)

NAPLES CYCLERY JUNIOR TRI PRESENTED BY T2 // AUGUST 16, 2014 NAPLES, FL

See more photos from this and other fitness events around Southwest Florida at facebook.com/fitnationmag. Tag yourself while you’re there!

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RIDES&RACES FEATURED: FLOAT FLY FLOW WORKSHOP, BONITA SPRINGS

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

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The 2014 Galloway Captiva Tri Captiva, FL - captivatri.org

Remember the Fallen 5K North Port, FL - endurancesportstiming.com

Paradise Coast International Triathlon - Duathlon - 10k Run Naples, FL - eliteevents.org

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ZERO Prostate Cancer Run/Walk – JetBlue Park Fort Myers, FL - zeroprostatecancerrun.org

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United Way Run for the Way 5k Naples, FL – gcrunner.org

Moe’s Corporate Run/Walk Naples, FL – gcrunner.org

Marco Island Triathlon Race Marco Island, FL thefitnesschallengetriathlon.com

Sixth Annual Cops & Joggers 5K Fort Myers, FL - ftmyerstrackclub.com FN Box Battles – Marriott Beach Resort Marco Island, FL – fnboxbattles.com

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Sixth Annual 10K Race 4 F.I.S.H. Fort Myers, FL - ftmyerstrackclub.com

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Rocktoberfest 10 Miler – North Collier Park Naples, FL – eliteevents.org

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Sunset and Suds 5k Naples, FL - facebook.com/sunsetandsuds5k

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Gulf to Gulf 80 Mile Relay Naples, FL – gcrunner.org

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